Hellobee

Answer:  Really, not much.

What we needed two of was a huge question I had when we found out we were expecting twins.  There are three basic categories: (1) Must Have Two, (2) It’s Nice To Have Two, and (3) One and Done.

When it comes right down to it, there are very few things baby items that you absolutely need to have two of to get through your twins’ first year (past that, I have no idea!).

1.  Cribs – While you don’t necessarily need two cribs immediately, you will eventually need separate cribs.  You’re best off to have them from the beginning because you never know how your babies will interact, when they’ll start rolling, etc. As I previously posted, the Baby Dudes shared a crib for the first few months, but when they started rolling over, we felt it was both too risky and too likely to disturb sleep.  It hurts to find money and space for two cribs, but I think it’s best to just bite the bullet.  We bought inexpensive Ikea cribs that don’t take up a ton of room and could be put right next to each other to save on space.  If you’re going to have your newborns sleep in your room, you’ll either need two rock ‘n’ plays, one pack ‘n’ play, or 1-2 bassinets depending on the size.

2.  Diapers & Wipes – Just start buying them the minute you find out you’re having twins and never stop.  I’m only kidding a teeny, tiny bit.  Maybe not at all.  It’s unearthly how many diapers and wipes you will go through.

3.  High Chairs – I suppose in theory you could have one high chair and just rotate, but that would make meal times take forever and it’s just not practical.  I highly recommend high chairs that attach to your regular dining table chairs to save on space because twins and all the gear you end up with will take more than enough square footage from your home as it is.

4.  Bibs, burp clothes, blankets or swaddle wraps, towels, washcloths,  etc. – The basic things they wear/use every day, you’ll want to pretty much double up on.  You will already feel like all you do is laundry.  Don’t make it worse than it has to be.

5.  Car Seats – Obviously, it is it the law that both babies have a car seat. I also recommend, however, that you get two infant carriers for the first year, not just a convertible.  Here’s the deal.  It’s VERY hard to carry two babies, plus bags, while opening and closing doors, etc.  Also, hold a baby while you try to get another baby in or out of a carseat, and you’ll quickly understand that you need to be able to set one baby down at all times.  Thus, the necessity of the infant car seat.  Yes, they’re heavier to carry that way, but I can set a baby on the ground in his car seat to get the other baby, open a door, pick up something I dropped, etc.  Plus, just think of that mad bicep workout you get!  My boys are almost 10 months old, and I absolutely look forward to the day when they can stand and walk and I can just hold their hands when we go somewhere, but for now the infant car seats are still a must almost all the time that I’m taking them to daycare on my own or anywhere that I can’t just put them right into the stroller.

6.  Bottles – In the early days, you will easily go through 16+ bottles a day.  You do not want to have to wash bottles often enough to have only enough bottles for one baby.  Just buy enough to get through a whole day for both babies.  That said, I definitely recommend trying a few bottles and seeing which one your babies take to the best before buying a day’s supply.

7.  Medical supplies – Two thermometers (if you use rectal or oral–I think with the ear thermometers, one would be fine), two nose suction bulbs/Nose Fridas, etc.  When you have two sickies, the last thing you need is to try to de-germ a thermometer or nasal bulb on the fly.  Twins share enough germs that you really don’t want to force them to share any more than necessary.

1.  Baby “Containers” – I recommend two “baby containing” items, but you don’t necessarily need two of each item.  You don’t have to have two bouncy chairs, two swings, two jumpers, two exersaucers, two walkers, etc., but you do need safe places to put both babies when you need to run to the bathroom, when your pan of boiling water overflows, when one baby is in the bath, to keep them entertained while you get ready for work, etc.  You could survive with just your cribs, but I recommend having at least two safe, non-crib places to put your baby.  We started with one bouncy chair and one swing.  They both loved the swing and only tolerated the bouncy chair, so we bought another swing eventually.  For our personal twins, two swings seemed like a must, but for your babies, it might be bouncy chairs, rock ‘n’ plays, or something else completely.  On the same idea, now that they are older, we have one jumper and one walker (where they sit in it and are thus relatively safely contained).

2.  Pack ‘n’ Play – We pretty much never use these at home, but when we travel, they sleep in PNPs.  When they were tiny, we took the Rock ‘n’ Plays (what we used for them to sleep in our room) or the one PNP we owned.  When they got bigger and didn’t fit comfortably in one PNP, we sucked it up and bought another.  Also, don’t worry about the fancy “twin” models – in the early days, they’re not going to be moving around enough to worry about having them in separate areas, and they may very well be happier snuggled together anyway.

3.  Monitor – We have one monitor, but we have two cameras.  It’s not a necessity, but it’s really nice to have.  Our monitor can be set to scan and it will show each camera for 8 seconds on a rotating basis.  Even though they’re in the same room, it’s nice to be able to see each of their cribs no matter where we move them (which has happened surprisingly often as our sleeping needs have changed).

1. Really good breast pump – If you’re planning on BFing at all, go ahead and invest in a really good pump even if you think you’ll be with your babies all the time.  You will thank me, I promise.  When you’re feeding newborn twins, it’s really, really, really nice to occasionally have someone else who can feed them.  Plus, unfortunately, the chance of having your babies be in the NICU is increased, and a good pump will help you keep up your supply if you leave the hospital before they do.  I bought the Medela Pump-In-Style, but I wished I would have gotten the Medela Freestyle.  At the time, it didn’t seem worth the extra money, but when I was trying to pump and get my supply up but also needed to wash bottles, start laundry, etc. all in the 30 minutes I was hoping my boys would sleep, it would have been nice not to be chained to a pump and plug in.  I think the added mobility that the Freestyle allows would have made it easier for me to pump longer and more often, but that’s all speculation.

2.  Diaper Bag – You only need one.  But, make it a big one!  Two babies require you to take twice the bottles, twice the diapers, twice the bibs, burp cloths, extra outfits, blankets, etc.  Buy the mother of all “mom bags” and you should be fine.  Better yet, buy a giant back pack; it’s awesome to be able to throw it on and have both hands free with no worries about your bag sliding down your arm.

3. Boppy – I just had one and never needed more.  If you’re planning on tandem BFing, I recommend the My Brest Friend Twin Nursing Pillow, personally, but if you’re a Boppy fan, you’ll need two.

4.  Toys – They’ll have plenty!  I swear toys breed and multiply when you’re not looking.  The first couple months I didn’t think we had many, and now I can’t figure out where to store them.  People will give you PLENTY of toys and matching outfits.

5.  Activity Gym/Playmat – They’ll easily fit on one while they’re little and like these types of things.  Besides, they have to learn to share early!

6. Bath tub – You’ll only bathe one at a time until they can sit up on their own in the real bathtub anyway.

7. Bumbo-type chair – They just took turns sitting in it while the other one played on the floor.  If someone is going to give them to you and you have the space, two would be fine, but otherwise get one or skip it all together.

8.  Stroller – You do need a double, but you just need one.  That said, we have: one Snap’n’Go stroller to use with the infant seats, one double jogging stroller that we were gifted, and two cheapie umbrella strollers with a connector to leave in the car when we travel since they take up virtually no space.

Twin mamas, what are your thoughts on what gear it’s essential to double up on and what’s just nice to have double?